Posts

Joe Tomei here. A colleague of mine here at KGU, Prof. Akira Sakai, is working with a local group that is tackling the problem of wild boars (inonoshishi in Japanese). With no larger predators to cull them and the number of Japanese hunters on the decline, wild boar are multiplying and destroying crops. Being smart as all get out, they like mikan, but also dig up imo, enjoy watermelons and almost any food people like. The group is trying to raise awareness and share knowledge about hunting and capturing boar and they are also working with local restaurants to supply boar meat. I'm attaching pics of the group's flyer. I've met several members of the group and I know that there are people on Kumamoto-i with sufficient Japanese skills to participate if this interests you.

A note from the Kumamoto International Confectionery Desk. One test discerning a 肥後っ子 (ひごっこ、Kumamotoite) from a person simply passing through is awareness of ikinaridango (いきなり団子). The uninitiated may confuse it with the Hakata (Fukuoka)-based daifuku due to their similar appearances. Do not fall for this. Locals may cut you some slack but will no doubt guffaw at your ignorance the moment your back is turned. This is because, though the outer layer is the same, made of either steamed flour or, more traditionally, mochi (a sticky form of pounded rice), the filling of the clearly deficient daifuku contains only red bean paste (あずき、小豆) - while the ikinaridango wraps the azuki with sweet potato (サツマイモ). Therein lies the magic, and never let anyone tell you otherwise. As a rare confectionery, it continues to be made traditionally in small shops, each with its own spin on what exactly いきなり団子 should be. (Disclaimer: My son loved the ikinaridango sold by the old woman who used to run the gift shop next to Ninomaru Park. We'd buy him one on our mid-way break from our 10K run. Sadly, she took her recipe with her to her grave.) The etymology apparently refers to a combination of a sudden appearance (ikinari) of a guest with the ease (ikinari) of creating the snack. Take note: Keeping plenty of steamed mochi, azuki, and satsumaimo on hand apparently was a thing.
Anyway, the conglomerate which produces KitKat has begun selling a product described as "いきなり団子味" - that is, "Taste of ikinaridango," which to discerning diners is akin to when you see "crab" on a menu spelled with a "k": "krab." The good news is that 10 yen from the sale of each 11-piece pack goes towards Kumamoto reconstruction. The better news is that, now that you know what いきなり団子 is, you can more directly support Kumamoto residents - and establish yourself as a connoisseur of local delicacies - by visiting local shops to buy the real thing. And don't shy away from heated comparisons with other いきなり団子 purveyors: that's half of the fun. - William
New KitKat raises funds for earthquake-damaged Kumamoto region
In 2016, Kumamoto, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, was devastated by a series of earthquakes which were so severe they damaged parts of the region’s historic 400-year-old castle. With a large number of local residents displaced and living in temporary housing after the disaster, Nestlé Ja...

If you have the chance to go to Oguni, Aso,
Tsuetate Onsen's flying carps are beautiful. And they are there until beginning of May.
http://tsuetate-onsen.com
-Olivia-

Kumamoto International regulars Julie and Charles Waterman were interviewed on Asahi TV's "Q-Sama":
http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/pr/contents/20180402_00513.html
By the way, the man pictured in the upper right of the screen is Ishihara Yoshizumi (石原良純), son of the infamous xenophobe Ishihara Shintaro. Let's see, I know Julie and Charles, who were watched by Ishihara Yoshizumi, who was fathered by Ishihara Shintaro. Oh my god! I'm connected to Ishihara Shintaro!!
-- Kirk

This post isn't Kumamoto specific. It relates to the topic of "English in Japan."
Sitting at the dinner table this evening I noticed that we had a can of Campbell's Cream Mushroom, which made me do a double take because I grew up eating Campbell's "Cream of Mushroom" soup. I think that the folks at Campbell's took out the "of" to make the name shorter and easier to market in Japan. Of course, as English, "Cream Mushroom" sounds pretty odd, at least to me. The interesting thing to me is that Japanese consumers with an interest in learning authentic English would probably never guess that a foreign company like Campbell's would turn their product name into 和製英語 (wasei eigo; Japanglish). I think this is an example how the abundance of English in Japan can sow more confusion about what constitutes proper English than understanding of the language.
-- KIrk

According to the Kumanichi Newspaper, the Kumamoto C̶i̶t̶y̶ * Prefectural Assembly voted unanimously in a special session Saturday to secede from Japan in favor of establishing a unique relationship with the State of California, occupying a position between county and the State governments.
Former Kumamoto Governor (now Special Representative of the Prefecture of Kumamoto, California) Kabashima said, "We believe formalizing our relationship will be highly symbiotic. For example, Kumamoto can offer to the Sacramento Delta hinohikari rice, while the mainland (as California proper is now referred to) can aid in upgrading our computer systems from Windows XP." California Governor Brown also praised the development, inviting Linda Ronstadt into the press conference for an acapella version of the Beach Boy's "Little Honda" ("First gear, it's all right, second gear, I'll lean ..., uh, left"), likely in reference to the Ozu Honda scooter factory.
As recognition of Kumamoto's special status within the Republic of California, a new prefectural flag incorporating designs from both entities was unveiled. Look for it to be displayed in both Sacramento and from Kumamoto Prefectural Hall from April first. - William
*Note: This article has been corrected to amend a translation error.

Yesterday I posted about the Sakura festival that is in progress today (Sunday, April 1) in Kengun:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1844339778972779
I ran through the area on my jog today and it was hopping!! Lot's of people were there. I didn't bring my camera but I found this Twitter post of the scene.
-- Kirk
優駿 on Twitter
“熊本市東区健軍・自衛隊通り 桜マルシェ開催中🌸歩行者天国”

Last year, I posted this "April Fools" fake news item about Trump buying Kumamoto castle, renaming it "Trump Castle" and renovating it as a casino. I tried to come up with another bit of fake news that readers might enjoy this year but, alas, fake news can be hard. One attempt I made was a piece (fake news, mind you) about Kumamoto's City Council forcing Yuka Ogata's son to participate in a "crying sumo" event as punishment for braking the rules against non-members being in the chambers. I meant to satirize what I really believe to have been an overreaction by those in charge. At first I thought it was good but a trusted adviser convinced me that there was a risk of harming Ms. Ogata's cause and being misunderstood. After thinking about it for a while I had to agree because over the years I found that humor can be good when people can laugh together but that its important to avoid situations where one ethnic group appears to be ridiculing another.
So, no clever "April Fools" piece this year -- just a repeat of last year's gag. I hope you all enjoy the nice April weather. :)
-- Kirk

A sakura festival will be held tomorrow in on Jieitaidori (the street in front of the Self-Defense Forces base) in Kengun, Kumamoto City. If you're not familiar with the location, this map should help:
https://goo.gl/maps/hVrdrA9fFnr
From 11 AM to 5 PM all traffic will be closed off, making the sakura-lined street a "pedestrian paradise" (hokosha tengoku). As you can see in the picture, there will be lots of street venders selling various snacks and treats. A pamphlet about the event also indicates that there will be some live performances ("mini live"). The cherry blossoms are past their peak but the good weather predicted for tomorrow should make the festival a great way to savor the last of this year's beautiful blossoms.
-- Kirk
http://www.city.kumamoto.jp/higashi/hpkiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=18754
第44回　健軍自衛隊通り桜まつりが開催されます！！

Kumamoto now has an English-language website with information about gourmet restaurants -- but they need to learn to spell "gourmet." ;) In Japanese it's "gurume" and that seems to have influenced the spelling here.
-- Kirk
KUMAMOTO GURMET GUIDE

This plan sounds quite similar to the 20 year plan we've heard about before but I guess it's official now.
-- Kirk
Kumamoto Castle restoration plan decided- News - NHK WORLD - English
Kumamoto Prefecture and the central government have officially decided on a 20-year plan to restore an iconic castle in southwestern Japan. It was severely damaged by a series of strong earthquakes in 2016.

We are blessed with beautiful bright and sunny weather during Cherry Blossoms season this year.
I went to Ozu on Wednesday this week and this was how the Sakura tunnel looked like.
Some trees in my neighbourhood have shown some green leaves now. So if you have chance visiting any Cherry blossoms parks this weekend, you might still be able to enjoy the beauty a bit more before the whole trees turn green.
-Olivia-

I just got back from a little jog around my neighborhood (Obiyama). At the end of my jog, I stopped by a German bakery called Biggi and got a fresh (just out of the oven) pretzel -- delicious!! The baker is Japanese but she studied in Germany and bakes for the German olympic swim team when they come to Kumamoto so I think her goods are quite authentic.
If you'd like to get some of these German pretzels and/or other baked goods, you can find the address, phone number and other information about the bakery here:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134.25925.123734781033296/464800160260088/
-- Kirk

Joe Tomei here. It's Friday Funky place time with a volume is good edition. For some reason, all the lunch places a few weeks ago were full, so I hiked a bit further than usual and found 味道園 (Midoen?) The lunch is huuuuge, if you feel like you need to take a one month fast, this is the place I suggest for your last meal.
The sign explains that if you spend more than 750 yen, you can get a parking ticket for the parking garage next to Suizenji Eki and they ask you not to park at the neighboring sushi shop.
The FPF map is here
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qUH94Bac7Hr939b7_8gtvebaJZffGRsX&usp=sharing

"Keynote speaker Yukiko Takeuchi from Kumamoto University in Japan discussed three important lessons learned from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake."
https://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2018-03-28/expert-shares-hard-lessons-learned-japans-kumamoto-earthquakes
Copied and pasted by Kirk
Expert shares hard lessons learned in Japan's Kumamoto earthquakes
Sign up to receive Breaking News bulletins from UToday, delivered to your inbox. Unsubscribe from Breaking News at any time.

The Rising Wasabi is a humor site in the vein of The Onion which pokes fun at Japanese society and the myriad ways gaijin try to navigate it; I find it most often hilarious. Their use of Kumamon in a recent fundraising ad caught my eye. I guess the idea is that, if you wire them money via Pay Pal, they'll hand it off to Kumamon, who will run to the nearest conbini and bring back a few bottles of Asahi. That is not entirely unimaginable.
What's more difficult to fathom is Johnny Depp shilling the same beer brand. Guess he needs the money, what with his recent divorce and cratered acting career. So here is the question: From whom would you prefer to receive an ice-cold bottle of Asahi, Kumamon or Johnny, and why? Please enter you answers in the comments section. - William

As always, this edition of YOKA is beautifully laid about and very well written. Here's the table of contents as found on the page I'm linking to:
The Call of the Drums by Olayitan Akindes
Eventful Uto, 御輿来海岸 by June Ang
Kimono Class in Uto City by June Ang
An ALT’ｓ Journey to the Kendo World Championships by Dale Padoin
Winter Blues or Something More Sinister? Thoughts on How to Protect Yourself against Depression on the JET Program by Jennifer Frey
ALT Pep Talk by Bilal Khan
Learn about Pizza by Chiri Davis
Shimabara by Melissa Wright
Graduation by Timothy Hull
A Taste of Tea in Minamata by Greg Corbett
KumAJET’s Christmas Party at Jiaien Children’s Home and Spring 2018 Events, KumAJET
Kashima: the Village of Water by Lily McDermott
Carnival: Introducing my Country’s Largest Festival by Zaynab Nakhid
Interview with a Wirebender by Zaynab Nakhid
Photos by June Ang, Greg Corbett, Chris Hester, Justin Lau, Laura McGhee, Joyce Tan, and Jenifer Vosper
-- Kirk
Winter 2018 YOKA

How best to send money overseas is a topic that comes up from time to time on this page. Here's the address of a recent inquiry from Charles, which has already received some responses:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1840495396023884
Another post by Noel explains how to use Monaco Cards to convert crypto currencies to a local currency. Since crypto currencies can be transferred over international boarders, this constitutes another way to "send" money:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/1688352171238208
In 2014, we had this discussion:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/600135043393265?comment_id=4564305
In 2012, in that ancient age of Yahoo Groups (e-mail) we had this discussion:
https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/posts/356030051137100
Obviously, some of this information is outdated but I hope previous discussions can be a spring board for a discussion generating new information and insights.
-- KIrk

Kumanichi news roundup (links at bottom):
The paper reports that real estate values in Kumamoto have finally rebounded to their 1992 levels, the year the bubble burst. On the graph at the link, light blue indicates housing, dark blue industrial, orange retail, and yellow the average of the three. The article does not break the stats down into city vs. countryside, and I suspect that values in the latter are still down considerably, but nevertheless, this is a good sign of economic recovery.
A ceremony to celebrate completion of the removal of Arase Dam on the Kumagawa River in Sakamoto, Yatsushiro was held yesterday. The dam was built in 1955 during the postwar rush towards economic recovery but resulted in deteriorating water quality and prevented fish migration. This is the first time a dam has been removed in Japan.
Finally, from March 24th to April 8, the Minami Aso Cherry Festival will be held. Among some 6,700 cherry trees, the main attraction is a 400-year old yamazakura called "Isshingyōnoōzakura" (一心行の大桜), a name which deserves a bit of explanation. During the Warring States Period, Minami Aso village was called Minemura and contained a castle called Kakuyokujo (鶴翼城), which was built as a secondary castle by a guy who must have required a half hour to write his name: Nakamura Houkinokami Korefuyu (中村伯耆守惟冬) and whose main castle, Yazakijo (矢崎城), was in Misumi. He unwisely went to war with Satsuma's Shimazu clan in 1580, which resulted in the destruction of Yazakijo by fire and his death.His wife, children, and a handful of retainers covertly returned to Minemura after the death of the Lord and planted a cherry sapling to mourn the spirit of the castle owner and vassals, naming it "Isshingyo" (一心行), which can be translated as "devoted conduct." It is one of the two oldest cherry trees in Kyushu, the other being the 600-year old Toraozakura in Fukuoka.
And that's the news. - William
https://kumanichi.com/news/407199/
https://this.kiji.is/351301079944201313?c=92619697908483575
https://this.kiji.is/350447925970617441?c=92619697908483575

China’s eight-ton prototype space station, Tiangong-1, or “heavenly palace”, has decided it's had enough of space and so will make an uncontrolled plunge to Earth, likely re-entering the atmosphere around Sunday, April 1st. Most of it will burn up, but a few chunks may survive and wack water or land here or there.
The most likely wack points are at the extremities of its orbital latitudes – 43° North and 43° South. The center figure below shows Tiangog-1's orbit, and the figure at right shows impact probability along given latitudes (click for an enlarged view). You'll notice Japan - indeed, Kyushu itself - is way up there, probability-wise, though perspective-wise, your marrying Kumamon and having "half" children remains far more likely than being wacked.
Still, if you do happen to be whacked by a piece of satellite this weekend, you'll know where it came from. - William